Newspapers and television news broadcasts are using a lot of frightening words to describe online dating practices. Words like "deception", "lying", and "fraud". Recent lawsuits against Match.com and Yahoo! Personals may have those that trusted online dating now turning away from it, but I would warn against being so quick to distrust your favorite online dating service. Whether or not recent accusations are true, this doesn't mean that online dating is not a reputable way to meet other singles for possible relationships.
Match.com has already rigorously denied any accusations of wrongdoing and time will tell if these lawsuits are legitimate or false accusations. If online dating has been working for you, it is my opinion that you should continue. Despite a few bad apples, there are still millions of singles looking to find love online, and they may be looking for you.
Dating Experts Should Avoid Giving Mixed Messages
An article in NewsofDelawareCounty.com incorporates online dating into its Valentine's Day advice, but, in reading the article, I couldn't help but notice a blatant contradiction toward the end of the article, which otherwise provides some good tips to online daters.
Gail Barsky of coachingforsingles.com, who specializes in coaching separated and divorced singles states in the article that singles should "carefully screen the profile, get phone numbers at work and home and check the person out first to make sure they are who they say they are." And then the article goes on to say that Barsky notes that "getting a cell phone number only could be a red flag that your potential mate could be involved with someone else." Even though Barsky warns singles to be cautious of those who only provide their cell phone number, she goes on to "caution women to give out their cell phone numbers until they are comfortable with the person."
Even though online dating is becoming more and more mainstream, I think it is only common sense to avoid giving out your home or work number (regardless of whether you are male or female) and singles should not be suspicious if a potential match does not want to give out this information before meeting. It should be a common practice, only give that sort of personal information after you have met and gotten to know your date. If you have started a relationship and your partner then refuses to give you his or her home number, then you might have cause for concern, but not when in the beginning stages of online dating.
February 09, 2006 in commentary | Permalink | Comments (0)